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The world’s first operation and anesthesia done by an all robot team was conducted at Canada’s McGill University Health Centre. The operation being one of extreme delicateness, a prostatectomy, was handled by two robots: DaVinci, a surgical robot, and McSleepy, an anesthetic robot. Both of whom were controlled by a team of surgeons from a workstation with 3D HD video control.

The robots allowed the team of surgeons to work with a precision not capable of by humans alone, allowing for a more precise and safe operation. The surgical team is planning to use this project to test more all-robotic surgery and anesthesia routines on more patients in different surgical situations. We are assured that the robots will not replace the doctors, but will only augment the surgical team to perform to their highest capabilities.

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It appears that is isn’t just the U.S. military using robotic vehicles. The Israeli Guardium is a 4-wheeled robotic soldier, designed to replace humans in scary places. It is operated via command room with a joystick and is mounted with 360º cams, night-vision, and for the tight spots, machine guns. The bot has pre-planned routes and navigates through traffic. With a price starting at $600,000, we say we will gladly use our taxes to purchase a few for both sides and bring our guys home.

Another robot has entered the building to assist humanity. NEXCO’s Lady Bird is a 39-inch tall prototype designed to clean highway rest stops and hotel bathrooms. The ladybug-shaped bot comes equipped with brushes, water tanks, and cleaning supplies for that nastiest of jobs. Sensors allow her to perform without bothering people while they are in the room. She also can engage in simple conversation, thanks to her voice recognition capability and mics in her antennae, and can give the latest traffic update. Expected to become a reality by March 2009, this is one 3.5 million yen (~$30,000.00) robotic helper that is definitely worth the expense.

Sega’s newly improved Yume Neko Smile (Dream Cat) is almost nightmarish in its behavior. Battery operated (not included,) it responds to humans in its weird way as it purrs, rubs against you, and even smiles.It comes with a comb, so you don’t have worry about it coughing up furballs. Just don’t pull its tail.

Check out the video if you want to see this optimistic feline for yourself, but don’t ask us about the little peep in the end. From what we could figure out, it would appear that Yume Neko doesn’t really move around, so unless you are bed bound, it’s not much of a companion at 7,980 Yen (~$69.00.)

What costs $12,000, is pregnant, but will never give birth? That would be this audio-animatronic, custom designed female bot up for sale on eBay. She was originally designed to demonstrate ultrasound equipment but we guess that her owner no longer needs her services. The unnamed robot (we’ll just call her Mom,) can move her eyes, mouth, eyebrows, nod, turn, go up on her elbows, rotate, and curl her wrists. After programming, she could also sing to her unborn bot while moving.

If you are interested, the seller would be willing to send you a DVD of her performance. You had better hurry though, as the bidding is set to end September 2. Frankly, as talented as Mom appears to be, we can’t envision living with robotic hormones running rampant.